1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip for binding a plurality of loose sheets of paper or the like, and particularly relates to a spring clip formed by bending an elastic metal plate to give thereto such an elasticity that bent end portions thereof abut against each other, and the bent end portions abutting against each other can be opened easily only by the force of fingers.
2. Description of the Related Art
To bind a plurality of loose sheets of paper or the like without injuring them, a Gem clip has bee used broadly. Such a Gem clip is formed of a single elastic wire in such a manner that the single elastic wire is formed into two continuous ring portions of different sizes which are disposed on one and the same plane so that sheets of paper or the like can be inserted between the two ring portions. Various kinds of such Gem clips having different wire diameters and sizes have been prepared so that a desired one of those clips can be selected in accordance with the thickness of the sheets of paper or the like to be bound.
However, since such a Gem clip is formed by bending a wire, the ring portions must be made elliptic to ensure enough elasticity to bind sheets of paper or the like, and the ellipses must be elongated longitudinally, so that there has been an disadvantage that not only a Gem clip elongated longitudinally becomes a hindrance when the bound sheets of paper or the like are to be opened, but also, when sheets of thick paper or the like are bound, the two ring portions come into point contact with the paper at the edge portions of the sheets of paper or the like so that the sheets of paper or the like may come off from the clip easily.
In order to eliminate such a disadvantage of a Gem clip, there has been proposed a clip which is formed in such a manner that an elastic plate-like member is bent to form an isosceles triangle in longitudinal section so that two grasping portions are formed so as to abut against each other at their extremities, and the extremities of the grasping portions are bent into ring-like shapes to thereby constitute a clip body. Two levers each formed by bending a metal rod-like member into a U-letter shape are prepared, and both the end portions of the respective levers are rotatably inserted into the ring-like portion of one of the grasping portions so that the two grasping portions can be opened about the angled portion of the clip body as a fulcrum based on the principle of lever by means of the levers to thereby allow insertion of sheets of paper or the like to be bound. In such a spring clip, the thickness as a gusset is formed in advance so that it is possible to bind thicker documents than those can be bound by a Gem clip.
However, not only it is necessary to prepare three parts, that is, one clip body and two levers, but it is necessary to provide an assembling work to insert end portions of the two levers into ring-like portions of the clip body. It is therefore impossible to provide a spring clip at a low price. Further, there has been a further disadvantage in that such a spring clip is bulk because of the two levers projecting from its clip body, etc.